November Rain
by Bea2688
Summary: A story about Sam and Dean and their relationships with others. Spoilers included up to Heart. Sam and Dean are both dealing with personal loss and fears. This is a work in progress please read and review. DeanJo.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own anything from the TV series Supernatural. I wish I owned Sam and Dean Winchester though. :) This story does include some spoilers if you haven't seen the most recent episodes. Please review! If you liked my story let me know. It might encourage me to write more. This is a one-shot right now. Maybe I'll change my mind and continue it later. Enjoy. (This used to include song lyrics but I took them out because of copyright.)

Closing time had finally come at the pub. A woman with wavy blond hair stood at the counter, leaning against it for support. It had been a long day. _Not really out of the usual though_, she thought. She had left her mother's house to fight all things evil. But now she spent most of her time working in this trashy bar. She took the towel she held in her hand and threw it to the ground.

She had thought about going back home, but had always rejected the thought, her stubborn pride keeping her from it.

"I'll be damned if I go back to my mother in defeat," she said to herself as she leaned against the bar. It wasn't easy being on her own. She didn't have much money, and hustling pool could only get one so far. It wasn't a secure career. She felt guilty for leaving her mother. Her mother had forbidden her from leaving home, but that had only pushed Jo to pack up and go. She was always told that she took after her father. If only he could see her today, picking up where he left off.

But that was never to be, because her father was not coming home. He had died on one of his hunting trips gone wrong. She didn't cry about it anymore, having cried all the tears she had to shed when she was young. Thinking of her father brought to mind the Winchester boys.

She hadn't been so removed from evil, really. It was not long ago that Sam Winchester showed up at the door of the bar in Duluth, Minnesota.

"That was quite the night," she said quietly to herself as she bent down to pick up the towel. Sam was possessed at the time. She hadn't known it at first, but it became clear once he tied her to a pole. At first he spoke emotionally to her, and then she asked him to leave. Jo was startled when he did not leave but instead came back and attacked her, knocking her out. When she woke up, he had a knife in his hand, waiting for his plan to unfold, knowing that Dean would come. That wasn't really Sam though. Sam Winchester was not the type to attack a fellow hunter.

Jo began to clean the bar with the towel. She had asked Dean if demons told the truth. There were certain details Sam had divulged about her father's death. Had John Winchester really killed her father in the end to put him out of his misery?. She also wondered, though if what Sam had said about how Dean felt was true. Did he really think she was a schoolgirl? She paused in her cleaning, and then began to angrily scrub at the bar, remembering Sam's words.

"_Boy you're really carrying a torch for him aren't you? I'll take that as a yes. It's too bad. 'Cause see, Dean, he likes you- sure. But not in the way you want. I mean, maybe as kind of a …a …a little sister, you know, but romance? That's just out of the question. He kind of thinks you're a schoolgirl, you know? I'm not trying to hurt you, Jo, I …I'm just telling you 'cause I care."_

She wasn't a schoolgirl. She managed to live on her own, hadn't she? In their last encounter, she had been the one to save Dean himself. Sam had shot him, and she'd found him out back, lying on the ground, having fallen into the water. She walked him back into the bar and cleaned his bullet wound for him, despite his protests. While she was patching him up, she broke the silence with a question.

"_Hey, Dean?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_I know demons lie, but do they ever tell the truth too?"_

"_Umm, umm yeah sometimes I guess, especially if they know it'll mess with your head. Why do you ask?"_

"_Nothing. Doesn't matter."_

And then after he'd told her that he was leaving to follow Sam, he had left. She'd offered to go with him, but he said no. He wouldn't let her help him, didn't want the blood on his hands. Dean had even threatened to tie her to the same post from which he had just released her. That was just how it was going to be. Then with an abrupt thanks he left her with the promise that he'd call her. She knew then that he wouldn't call. Still, she felt disappointed when she hadn't heard from him.

Why was it that he wouldn't let her help? He could hardly even look her in the eyes when he told her to stay. She knew he had been through hell with his father's death. Life was not normal for the Winchester boys. Their mother died, then their father. All they had was each other. She'd seen this when she ran away from home to work on the same case that they were working on, surprising them when they showed up and she was already there. When they'd been hunting together, she showed Dean that she was no coward. She could hold her own. Hell, she could even save Sam and Dean if she had to, but Dean wouldn't let her get that close.

_Why do I even care about what Dean thinks?_ Left with these wonderings, she walked over to the dusty old radio and turned it on, hoping it would help distract her from thoughts of Sam and Dean Winchester. Returning to her work, she noticed that out front a car had pulled in. _Another drunk looking for more beer. She shook her head. _They'd get the picture when no one came to the door. Jo had seen enough drunken fools for one night. She had a lot more work to do, and the night was barely over. At least there was a good song on the radio. It was no REO Speedwagon, but it would keep her on her feet for a few more minutes.

Dean angrily slammed a tape into the cassette deck of the Impala. The head-banging music should have settled him, and would have had he not been in such a bad mood. If it weren't for Sammy, it could have been a promising night. A night of gambling and loose women might have been waiting for him.

Instead he had a fight with Sam that all but came to blows. Sam kept worrying about this destiny crap. Of course, Sam wouldn't go to the dark side. He wouldn't let that happen. There was no such thing as destiny. Sam made his own decisions. They were going to kill that yellow-eyed son of a bitch and be done with it. Dean had tried to change the subject, but Sam kept it up. He didn't need to be reminded of his promise to kill Sammy if it came down to it. He didn't intend to make that promise in the first place, and he didn't intend to keep it. Call him a selfish son of a bitch, but he wouldn't kill Sammy. He'd save him if it was the last thing he did.

So he left the hotel room, slamming the door behind him. He hoped that Sam wouldn't do something stupid. Then again, this was Sammy. He'd be in the room researching leads on his laptop. Dean shook his head and chuckled. That kid was far too green for his own good. Give him a few more years of hunting, and he'd change. The job did that to you.

But he left that all behind. No more tonight would he worry about yellow-eyed demons or guilt of his Dad's death, or the fear of being left alone in this world. All he needed was to find a good bar, and all his problems would be fixed, for that night anyway.

Just as Jo finished setting the tables back and cleaning the floors she heard the door open. It was late. Not too late in her mind for a few beers, but still, the place was closed. She had locked the door, she remembered, when she kicked the last stumbling customer out. Reaching under the counter, she grabbed her gun. Holding the pistol firmly in her grip, she was prepared to meet whoever was coming through the door.

Dean opened the door. As he turned around from shutting the door behind him, he noticed the gun was pointed right at him.

"Son of a…" he exclaimed as he quickly ducked out of sight so that the gun was no longer pointed at him. Dean could barely believe his luck. Couldn't he go one day without being shot at?

"Dean?" Jo asked, recognizing the intruder. "What are you _doing_ here?"

"I came for a beer!" he shouted. Then as he came around the corner, "Is that how you treat all your customers or just me?" He paused. "Now, would you mind putting that down?" Jo could sense annoyance in his voice. She put the gun down on the counter. "I thought I locked that door," she mumbled as she turned around and grabbed two beers.

"You did," Dean said with a grin as he showed her the paperclip in his hand. "Always keep one of these handy. Never know when you might need to break into a bar."

"I've got to find another way to keep you Winchester boys out. I don't think I even need to remind you about the last time I was caught here unaware after closing. Tell me you aren't possessed," she said as she opened the beers in front of her. She motioned to the bottles. "Where is Sam anyway?"

"Uh, he was a little…shy to come back after that last time," he said with a grin and pulled both bottles toward him. One bottle of beer was good, but two…

"Not so fast," she said as she grabbed one and took a swig. "You didn't answer my question." She looked at him with a stubborn look in her eyes.

"Of course I'm not possessed. Does this look like a demon face to you?" he asked.

She ignored the question. "How'd that all turn out anyway? I never heard." Dean thought he sensed a little bitterness in her voice.

"Sammy's a boy again," he said with a laugh. "The demon's gone for now anyway. I doubt it was the last we'll see of it."

"And how's your shoulder?" she asked.

"Fine," he answered without even thanking her.

They stood there in awkward silence, sipping their beers. Dean scratched his head, wondering how much longer this would last before he got to drink his beer in peace. After several long minutes, Jo said, "You shouldn't be around here, you know. Hunters come here- hunters who are after Sam. They'd kill him if they had the chance."

"Well, I'd like to see them try," he said quietly, looking down at the gun on the counter. He'd taken on everything else that had tried to kill Sammy. He'd waste anyone else who tried.

After a few more minutes of awkward silence, Dean exhaled deeply, looking at the clock. "Well, look at that. Time just flies, doesn't it? I should really be going…"

"So what are you doing here, Dean?" she asked abruptly.

He looked up at her with surprise. "Isn't it clear? I'm here to have a beer. What's wrong with having a beer to top off the night?" He hoped he had diverted her attention with his question.

"Of all the bars in town, you came here? Is there something you wanted to say? I don't have a lot of time to be wasting it so that you can have your beer."

Dean had not seen this coming. He didn't want this awkward confrontation. He'd rather be shot in the first place. He wasn't about to have sharing time with Jo. She couldn't even handle all the crap he had to deal with.

"You don't have anything to say? No smart-ass comment? Come on, Dean. We both know you better than this."

Not really wanting to observe this further, Dean got up. "I'll be leaving now."

"Of course," Jo said quietly. "Of course you'd leave. Ignore the situation and hope it goes away, huh, Dean? Something confrontational comes and you leave like a coward."

Dean turned around angrily. "I've beaten more spirits and sons of bitches than you know! Don't go calling me a coward, Jo. I might just have to show you differently."

"Show me what?" she asked. "You come in here like you have the fate of the world on your shoulders, Dean. Like no one else has any problems. Well, you're not the only one who has had a bad day."

"What's _your _problem, Jo? Someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Maybe it's the physically demanding job of a bar-tender that's hurting you. Maybe you should go back home to your mother."

Jo looked at him, fury unleashed. "I'm not a schoolgirl, Dean. I can handle my own."

Dean observed the change in discussion. He didn't want this. He hadn't meant to make here mad. "Look, Jo, I never said you couldn't. I'm sure you can handle yourself."

"Then why don't you let me go with you?" she asked after a pause. "I could help, you know. I could help fight against whatever is after Sam."

"I'm sure you could, but Sam doesn't need another protector. He's fine. I'm taking care of him. Why don't you just leave this to the big boys, okay?"

Jo looked down at the bar, defeated. Again, he wouldn't let her help him. "What is it, Dean? Why was Sam possessed? What's after him? I've heard hunters talk. They said that Sam has been chosen for something. What aren't you telling me?" She made one last attempt to get the information out of him.

Dean paused and sighed quietly. So the news was getting out to everyone. He had hoped that he would have more time before the news of the yellow-eyed demon's interest had spread to all the hunters. It was only a matter of time before they faced another one who wanted to hunt Sam. "I wouldn't tell you even if I could." There was no need to worry her with the information. It'd all be over soon enough.

"This isn't only about you and Sam, Dean. This is about everyone. Everyone involved with this conflict needs to know. Something is coming. What is it?" She kept asking him, demanding that he tell her.

"You expect me to know? Look, all I can do right now is keep me and Sam safe. I don't know what it is. It's all news to me too." He offered up the words, hoping she'd believe them.

"You're lying," Jo said quietly. She had known Dean long enough to be able to tell when he was lying. He knew more than he let on. Dean wouldn't tell her what was going on. She knew something was wrong. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. He was tense, couldn't look her in the eyes. She knew he put on a face with his snide comments. She felt sorry for him.

Dean stood still, knowing that she'd called his bluff. What was he supposed to do, tell her all that he knew? It was too complex to explain briefly anyway. He would keep her on a need-to-know basis. Dean had always gotten by on his own. This was no different.

Jo didn't know what came over her. She guessed she was moved to pity Dean and the hard life he'd been given. "Well, when you find that you can't keep it all inside, when you have to tell someone, you know where I'm at. And what's even better, I can offer you a cold beer."

"Uh, thanks," Dean said, feeling awkward at the thought of gushing his feelings to someone, although he thought if he were ever going to tell someone, it'd be Jo. "I'll…"

"Call me?" Jo asked, looking at him intently, her eyes piercing. He'd said it before and hadn't followed through. She knew better than to expect it of him again. Still, she hoped.

"Yeah," Dean muttered and left the bar as quickly as he was able. As he walked toward the Impala, he didn't notice the rain that came pouring down. Once he had slammed the door and sat back in the seat, he saw the raindrops splashing furiously against the windshield. He turned on the radio and just sat there.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, so I decided to add on. I didn't think I would, honest. This chapter may seem a little disconnected from the first one, but they will all fit together in the end. Trust me. This chapter is emotional and angsty. It consists of Dean's thoughts and observations. It might seem a little emotional for Dean, but honestly, _Heart_ was a really emotional episode. This takes place after the episode _Heart_. I do not own any of the plots or characters of the television show _Supernatural_. Please give it a chance and review. It's not enough just to read it. I need your feedback! Honestly, the more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to write more. Reviews are so very important to me. A multitude of thanks to all my reviewers from last chapter! I hope you are as satisfied with this chapter as you were with the first.

Several weeks after his last meeting with Jo, Dean was in the driver's seat of his Impala. Sam was sleeping in the seat next to him as he often did. In all honesty, Dean didn't mind the lack of conversation. He had good music to listen to, and his mind was so preoccupied thinking over current events anyway. He was sick with worry for Sammy. Of course, he'd never let on.

Sam was feeling the results of their last hunt. It seemed like it would be a straight forward hunt. Find the werewolf and hunt it down. Piece of cake. The enthusiasm that Dean felt at the beginning of the hunt did not follow through to the end. Things were made more complicated when they realized that the werewolf was a woman who did not know that she left her home at night to hunt down innocent victims. Sam had tried to save her. He did all he could really. At that point there was already something between Sam and the woman. He had spent the night with her, thinking her to be cured. Sam was left with no choice but to kill the woman to whom he was close- very close, even. After all his joking and pushing Sammy finally found a woman.

Dean regretted all that now. He wished it had been him who spent the night guarding Madison. At the time, Dean thought it was right, that it would be a good experience for Sammy. This was besides the fact that he had a habit of always losing rock-paper-scissors to his younger brother. It was good for Sam to get over Jessica. You can't dwell in the past, Dean knew. Still, for Sam to have seen someone else die so soon after Dad, did a number on him. As if it weren't bad enough, she had the nerve to ask Sam to be the one who pulled the trigger. Madison, resigned to the idea that she had to be killed for the sake of the common good, handed the gun to Sam, asking him to end it.

_Madison was sitting in the chair looking at Sam and Dean in turn. They had just told her that she was still a werewolf, that after they told her that she was in the clear, she had proved them wrong. _

_"I don't remember anything. I probably killed someone last night...didn't I?" she asked._

_Dean decided to give her a vague answer even though he knew that her cause was hopeless. Sam tried to answer her but couldn't. He had enough trouble trying not to let the tears fall down his face. "There's no way to know yet."_

_"Is there something else we can try- to make it go away?" She asked Dean directly. Dean had to decide whether he would tell her the truth or give her false hope. _

_"We'll find something. I mean, there's got to be some answer...somewhere." Sam said it desperately, hoping against what he knew to be true. If there was any way, he'd find it for her..._

_Sam would have continued, but Dean cut him off, feeling obliged to tell her the entire truth. "That's not entirely true. Madison, you deserve to know. We've scoured every source... There's just no cure."_

_Shock filling her face, she looked to Sam and asked him earnestly, "Is...is he right?" Dean too looked to Sam to see what he would say. Instead of answering her, he looked down and then stood up, walking away so that she wouldn't see his face. Dean answered for him once he saw that Sam couldn't bring himself to say what he knew was true._

"_We could lock you up at night, but you could bust out and some night you will...and someone else dies. I'm sorry, I am." Madison's eyes no longer looked for confirmation from Sam. She knew that Dean had told her what Sam couldn't. Her eyes glistened as she thought of what would have to happen. Sam looked to Dean, hoping to find some strength in his older brother, looking for some comfort._

_Madison sighed. "So I guess that's all there is too it then," she said with confidence. Sam looked at her, shocked. He knew it was the only way, but to hear her say it made it seem so real. Suddenly with every ounce of his being he resisted it._

_"Stop it! Don't talk like that!"_

_"Sam, I don't want to hurt anyone else," she paused. "I don't want to hurt you," she ended as tears ran down her cheeks. She looked up at him, the emotion shining in her eyes. Then looking down in front of her, she picked up the gun. Walking over to Sam, she offered it to him in a gesture of defeat._

_"Put that down," he commanded gently, his jaw muscles clenching in an effort to remain in control of his emotions._

_Madison took a deep breath. "I can't do it myself. I need you to help me," she said finally as she looked up at him woefully._

_Still Sam refused to accept that this was how things had to be. "Madison...no..."_

_"Sam, I'm a monster."_

_"You don't have to be," Sam stated in a last attempt to change her mind. He desperately grabbed for any hope he could muster. "We can find a way, alright? I can. I'm gunna save you."_

_Madison closed her eyes as if to forget the look on Sam's face. Then she looked back up at him. "You tried. I know you tried. This is all there is left." Looking up at the face of the broken man in front of her, she pleaded with him, for her sake and for his. "Help me, Sam. I want you to do it. I want it to be you..."_

_Sam started breathing rapidly. He reacted stubbornly, his eyes hard as he looked directly at her. His voice was harsh and unrelenting. "I can't."_

_At this point tears were streaming down Madison's face as she thought about the life she'd had thus far and then the life that she would be forced to live. "I don't want to die. I don't. But I can't live like this." Sam began to breathe heavily. He could barely keep the tears back. He clenched his jaw, still inwardly fighting her words. This is the way you can save me. Please? I'm asking you to save me." _

Just thinking back to that night was too painful. Dean didn't think that Sam would be able to do it, but he did. He took the gun from Dean, and went to do what he had to do- what he was asked to do- what he was raised to do. What made matters complicated was that this wasn't just a werewolf. This was a woman whom Sam cared about. She was a monster, but she was also a human being.

_Sam, unable to deal with hiding his emotions from Madison any longer left the room. He had escaped from the situation for the moment. He stared at the wall ahead of him, no longer holding back all his pent up sadness and frustration. He heard someone behind him. Dean had followed him, and watched, incapable of doing anything to ease the situation. Madison would have to die, but maybe he could spare Sam the guilt..._

_"Sam..." he started. When Sam looked over at him, he continued. "I'm sorry," he offered as he motioned to the gun he was holding in his hand. _

_"No, you're right. She's right," he said tearfully, nodding as he accepted what he had to do._

_"Sammy, I've got this one," Dean nodded. "I'll do it."_

_Sam looked at his brother desperately. "She asked me to..."_

_"You don't have to," Dean told him firmly, looking at his brother, willing to take his place._

_Sam shook his head. "Yes, I do." He paused and bit his lip. Gathering all the courage that was left in him, he reached out for the gun. "Please." Tears still coursing down his scratched cheek, he waited for Dean to relent. "Just wait here," he finally commanded as he received the gun. Making his way to the door, he paused and looked back at his big brother. Giving him one last look, his body shaking with kept-in sobs, he finally left the room. Dean was left to watch the place from which Sam had left, several tears escaping from his eyes as well. When he heard the gunshot, he winced. _

After cleaning up after everything that had taken place the previous days, they left Madison's house, ready to leave the past behind. Although Dean felt sorry for the way it all had to turn out, he felt sorry most for Sam, who blamed himself for not being able to save Madison. After they left, they looked for a hotel room. For the next day, Dean let Sam have his space, knowing that he was dealing with his grief. He never expected to see Sam eager and ready to go hunt again. Sam wanted to make Dean think that everything was okay, and maybe Sam wanted to believe it himself too.

Now the youngest Winchester was in a mood where he didn't laugh or cry when he was in Dean's company. When he woke up in the morning, Dean could see the redness around his eyes. He could hear the sadness in Sam's voice when his mind was left to wander and was suddenly brought back to reality by one of Dean's questions. Even though Sam didn't talk about Madison, Dean knew he thought about her plenty. The older brother tried to make small talk and failed miserably. Rather than talk about his feelings, Sam avoided discussion of the past few days altogether. If he were his usual weepy Sammy self, Dean could handle it. He would give him his earnest look and tell him that everything would be fine. But Sam wouldn't talk about what was bothering him. He was acting like- well, like Dean.

This was Sam's fault really. Dean shook his head. Sam let people get too close. He cared about things too much. Dean learned the lesson young not to get too attached to people who would leave, to things that would be lost. At the same time, Dean felt responsible. He could have kept Sammy from all this pain. He should be able to fix this. His Dad had always put Sam in his care. As older brother, it was his job to make his younger brother think that everything would be alright, even if he had to lie. He would always be there to pick up the pieces. There were a lot of pieces to be picked up recently. _A lot of missing pieces_, Dean thought to himself.

For some reason, he and Sam had been faced with so much. They had lost everyone close to them. Why? Because of the demon. It was as if destiny had placed her hand on them. They couldn't get away from hunting, and if they tried, everything they had built up away from hunting would be torn down and destroyed. If they got too close to people they would get hurt. If they tried to get away from the family business, they would get brought back in again. This was the Winchester way. Sam had tried to get out of it, and now, Dean wished for Sam's sake that he had. Dean himself knew that he would always be a hunter as long as there were things to hunt. It was in his blood, and he actually liked it. He didn't get attached to victims as Sam did. He found what was evil and put an end to it. It was for the greater good. What broke Dean was seeing Sam hurt.

As Dean drove down the back road, leaving a trail of dust behind him, he stared straight ahead. There was nothing but miles and miles ahead of him. It gave him time to think...too much time. _Dad, why can't you be here now and fix this- fix Sammy?_ He asked himself this question often now. He looked over to his right. Sam was still sleeping there quietly, hair askew and mouth slightly open. His lanky frame was stretched out, showing that he was really too tall to sleep comfortably. A sleeping Sam didn't bother Dean, as long as he didn't drool on the upholstery. If sleep helped him, Dean would let him sleep.

As his eyes traveled back to the road ahead of him, he noticed that his cell phone was flashing. He grabbed at it quickly, fumbling to get it open. He was too late- missed call. _Damn it_. He looked through the menus to find out who was calling him as his cell phone informed him that he had a message in his voice mail. He held the phone up to his ear as he waited to hear the message. When he had heard the end of it, he hung up quickly. His jaw set in determination, his eyes showing anger. Pulling over to the side of the road suddenly, he came to a halt. Change of plans.

A/N: Now go and review!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: As is the case with the other two chapters, I do not own Supernatural or its characters.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank all of my readers that have been reviewing. I appreciate your feedback so greatly. For all of you who read and don't review (and I _know_ you are out there) please take the time to review! It is so important. Only about 1.5 percent of readers are reviewing, so please, please, review! With that said, I hope that you enjoy this chapter. Enjoy and review!

"Dean!" Sam yelled, awakened by the sudden movement of the car. He blinked hard and stretched his arms out in front of him. Staring at Dean, he wondered what has caused his brother to come to such a sudden halt. Dean always tried to take care of his Impala. It was very unlike him to risk harming the brakes.

"Well?" Sam asked when it appeared that his brother had no intention of responding. His voice held a tone of annoyance.

Dean glanced at him and then turned his attention back to the road. He had a hard time deciding whether he should make a joke or just tell Sam the truth. He wasn't a sharer like his brother was. If something was bothering him, he'd much rather just keep it to himself and wait until it blew over. He could tell Sam if he wanted to. Sam would understand his fear. Still it would be an awkward moment. In light of this thinking, seriousness did not win out.

"Damn squirrels around here...There are too many of them. I'm going to find another road..."

Sam just stared at him in unbelief. "Dean, that wasn't even funny."

Okay, so Sam was right. Dean's humor seemed to have left him for the moment. He had his mind on many other things. He had tried his best.

Still Sam had no answer to his question. He hated that Dean did this, as if by avoiding the matter, Sam would forget. This might have worked when he was a kid, but he was older now. He knew when something was up, and wouldn't be distracted by his brother's joke whether it was humorous or not. He sighed in frustration, rubbing his hands over his face.

He was still somewhat asleep. If Dean did not answer him soon, he would consider going back to sleep. At least he had been able to sleep this time. He was thankful that he didn't have another nightmare. Good sleep was all too rare these days.

"Sleep well?" Dean asked, clearly making pointless conversation. He knew that Sam wouldn't be distracted from the topic, but still he had to try. He would tell Sam, he just had to get his own emotions under control first.

"Yeah," Sam answered.

"No nightmares?"

"Right, Dean. Look, what happened when I was sleeping? Who called you?"

Dean hated it when Sam got all psychic on him. Thinking about it again, Dean decided that Sam should know. Besides, he was tired of trying to avoid his brother's multitude of questions.

"Ellen called me just a few minutes ago."

"What'd she say?" Sam asked curiously. They talked to Ellen every once in a while. She knew more about hunting connections than they did. Ellen had been around the block a few times.

Dean looked at the road, trying to look like the call hadn't scared him to death. After all the years of hunting, he thought he wouldn't be afraid of anything. That was all before he learned more about the demon that killed his mother. With each new bit of information came many new unanswered questions.

"Ash just found out where the demon is," Dean confessed.

"Where?" Sam asked anxiously. Dean hated to discuss the topic of the demon, because he knew it set Sam on edge.

"Duluth, Minnesota," the older Winchester brother answered with a sigh.

"But that's where Jo is..."

"I know," Dean said quickly, the quivering in his voice revealing his emotion.

Sam sat back taking it all in. He hadn't expected to hear of the yellow-eyed demon. He should have been thinking about it. It had killed his Mom, Jess, and now Dad. Sam was shocked that after all these months of obsessing over it, he had forgotten. The desire for revenge was not burning inside of him. His thoughts turned back to Dean.

"Is that where we're going?" Sam asked.

"You catch on quick," Dean said as he handed him the road map. He smiled at Sam with the hopes of assuring him that everything would be fine. Even though Sam was older now, Dean still took the role of the older brother very seriously. He had made a promise to his father and to his mother before they died. Sam was his little brother and that was all there was to it.

"Dean?" Sam asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"You're scared, aren't you?"

Dean shrugged. "This is _the_ demon, Sammy, of course I'm a little on edge."

"Yeah, but it also involves Jo," Sam observed.

"I know that, Psychic."

"And you care about her." Sam knew that he was crossing into dangerous territory. Dean's emotions were rarely discussed. Sam could expect a pummeling if he pursued this matter further in most situations. He thought back to his years in junior high when he pushed his brother too far. He had learned to be cautious.

Dean looked at Sam quickly. "No, I don't."

"Come on, Dean. You're rushing to her aid right now! You tense up every time I mention her. I've seen you flip open your phone to call her and then change your mind. You talk in your sleep, too, worriedly screaming her name. I just can't understand why you haven't sealed the deal yet."

"I'm not looking to 'seal the deal' with her, Sam," he responded with a fierce glare. "For one, her mother would kill me. Two, I don't want to seal the deal!" he exclaimed with disgust. "She's a kid, like a sister! She's not going to be one of my _one-night stands_! She isn't anything but a friend- an acquaintance, but I'll hunt down that yellow-eyed son of a bitch if he lays one hand on her. I'll escort him to hell myself!" Dean stopped, realizing that Sam was looking to get a rise out him and succeeded. He'd all but gushed to Sam.

"Damn it, Sam," he said as he looked at Sam's smug face. He just stared at him, lost in his thoughts, repressing feelings of mortification. He had shouted a little too much, argued a little too hard. It didn't sound like the truth, he knew. But then again, lies often didn't sound like the truth.

Dean didn't understand this. If he were talking about some chick from a bar, he wouldn't lose his cool. Of course he'd try to save everyone that he could. That was his job. Traveling several hours away to save a girl that he barely knew...was a bit excessive. Turning the car around and driving to Minnesota was his first instinct, however. Dean always followed his first instinct.

"Dude!" Sam yelled suddenly, awakening Dean from his thoughts.

Instinctively Dean turned his attention back to the road. He slammed his brakes quickly.

"That's great, Dean. Run over a senior citizen," Sam muttered.

Dean watched as the old woman crossing the street glared at him and then flipped him off. He simply offered his nervous smile. The situations he got himself into...

"Do you need me to drive or can you handle it?" Sam asked. Dean could sense the annoyance in his voice. I mean, sure, Dean had changed their plans on a whim, had avoided his brother's questioning gaze, making the car ride awkward, had almost run over a pedestrian...

Dean pulled into a gas station, and handed the keys to Sam. He opened his door, and shut it behind him firmly. With long quick steps he left the vicinity of the Impala. What was happening to him? He was distracted on the job, his humor had left him, and he didn't even find it humorous that he almost hit an old woman. When his brother criticized him, he had nothing to say, the phrases of insults swarming around his brain, refusing to come together in one coherent sentence. Something had to be done about this. Things could not continue as they were.

He had to go make a call.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed my story. I really appreciate that you took the time to tell me what you thought of it. Every little bit helps. :) I know this chapter isn't very long, but I hope you enjoy it. Please make sure that you review it!

Jo was sleeping contentedly when an obnoxious sound intruded upon her sleep. Once she realized that it was not a part of her dream, she started to think about what could be going off. It wasn't her alarm clock...she had forgotten to set it.

She was exhausted from working the night before until the early hours of the morning. It had been a particularly long night once she crawled into bed. There was extra work to be done at the bar for a state inspection. She had to stay until the job was finished. After hours of washing and scrubbing, she stumbled into her apartment and plopped down on her bed. Then she was too tired to even set her alarm. Now she figured she was sleeping in too late, and in doing so, late for her second job.

There was a particularly nasty spirit haunting a house not too far away. She had done the research, but needed to talk to some people. Jo had an appointment with a local researcher. She was missing it. _Great_.

Jo groaned when she remembered that whatever was making that sound had not yet stopped. She put her head back down on her pillow. She now knew what it was. Her cell phone was ringing. She stood up unsteadily and walked across the small room to grab at it quickly. Flipping it open she saw that she had four missed calls and two voicemail messages. _Who the hell is calling me?_

As she walked back to her bed, it began to ring again. Dean. Her heart started racing. If Dean was calling her, he must have no other choice. It had to be an emergency. Why was he calling her? What had happened? Surely the world must be coming to an end. He had never called her before. She flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Jo?" she heard Dean ask frantically. He sounded worried.

"Yeah," she said slowly, rubbing her forehead.

There was a long pause. His heart rate seemed to go down some. Then all his concern seemed to disappear when he yelled, "Where the hell have you been? I've been calling you..."

"I know. I was sleeping," she interrupted with a certain tone of annoyance.

"Oh, well, uh. It's important. I wouldn't have called you otherwise."

Jo chuckled quietly and shook her head. She knew this. Dean knew this too, but for some reason felt the need to tell her.

"So, did you just miss me, Dean?" she asked with a smile and a shrug. "Did you decide to take me up on that offer to talk?"

Dean paused. Jo knew that she made him uncomfortable. It was what she wanted. He hadn't called her the other times when he said he would. Why should she feel sympathy for him now? It had been months, sure, but Jo couldn't give up that easily. She knew how to hold a grudge.

"No," Dean eventually responded. "Look, I know I haven't called...I've been busy. Hunting takes up a lot of time, you know that."

"Too much time to make a quick call? Look, Dean, I've had enough with your excuses. You didn't want to call me. Just be honest with me. I'm a big girl."

"I don't have to check in with you. Sam and I are on our own out here. You're there. I'm here. We have our own worlds. There's no reason for you to be in mine."

Jo paused. She knew he was right. Still, she couldn't keep herself from wondering what he was up to. She liked being independent. Jo was not the kind of girl who took pleasure in having a protective and jealous boyfriend. She would always need her space, and sometimes she didn't feel like talking to people. So, as frustrated as she was with herself for wanting to know more about Dean Winchester, she also understood his reluctance.

Dean was flustered. This conversation was not going as he had imagined. His plan was to tell her quickly and get it over with. He'd warn her and she would be filled with gratitude for him. His duty would be done, and without confrontation. Surely she would have been fine with him by now. It had been months...

She sighed. "As much as I _love _to argue with you Dean, and as much as I'm sure you love to argue with me, there has to be another reason for your call. What's going on?"

Dean was relieved. Arguing in person was one thing. Arguing over the phone, now that was uncomfortable. "I...uh...I just heard from Ash."

Jo waited for him to continue.

Why couldn't he get his brain to work correctly? "He told me that the yellow-eyed demon is headed your way. I thought you should...know."

"Of course. I'm...glad you called me, Dean. Thanks for giving me the heads up. I'll let you know if..."

"You're not going anywhere near that demon, Jo. This is the big leagues. We're not talking about crossroads demons. He could kill you. That's not going to happen, because you're _not_ going to get involved."

"I know you have this thing against girls being hunters, but I..."

"No," Dean said firmly, almost harshly. "Listen to me, Jo. Stay away from that demon."

"Or what?" she asked defiantly.

"I can see you won't let this rest. You feel like you have to prove yourself. Well, this isn't the time to prove yourself, Jo! This is about survival!" he paused and she could hear the anger in his voice. "Sam and I, we're coming. You shouldn't get in the crossfire. I won't let that demon near you," and then so that it wouldn't appear as if he _actually_ cared, he added, "because your mom would kill me."

He hung up on her. Jo looked at her phone.

"Bye, Dean," she said at the phone with fake cheerfulness. Closing her phone, she flopped back down onto her bed.

So the Winchester boys were coming her way. Was that excitement that she felt or apprehension? A meeting with Sam and Dean usually meant a full-blown argument. She wasn't worried though. She would hold her own. Right now she had to be following up on that spirit. Maybe she could still manage to get her research in that day. As she walked toward her bathroom to get ready, she looked back at her phone on her bed. With a grin, she said quietly, "Damn, I've missed you, Dean Winchester."

After having made progress that day, Sam and Dean stopped at a hotel to check in for the night. It had been several long stressful weeks. They hadn't taken any time in-between to enjoy the sights. Dean finally realized how tired he was as he was lying down on his bed. His body was aching, and he couldn't keep from yawning. As tired as his body was, however, his mind would not stop running.

Sam walked into the room, threw his coat down on a chair, and sat down on the bed across the room. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television. After flipping through the few channels briefly he settled on one show. When Dean looked up he saw that Sammy was watching the news. _Typical._

Dean was amazed that Sam looked so normal sitting there, watching World News. Given all that Sam had been through the past few weeks, he still kept hunting. Dean had noticed a slight change in his brother. Sam still had his moments, but he had toughened up. He was filled with more vigor in a desire to get the job done. He researched a little harder, reacted a little quicker. At the end of the day, he actually slept. Dean no longer woke up to hearing Sam having a nightmare.

Dean thought that Sam had just gotten used to the job. Unknown by Dean, however, was the fact that Sam still looked to his big brother for re-assurance. When Dean said that things would be fine, Sam trusted that they would be. Dean had never failed him before, and Sam didn't think that he ever would. Other people came and went. Dean, though, he would be around to provide a quick joke, a rescue, an argument, forever.

Lulled to sleep by the sound of the television, distracting him from his own thoughts, Dean began to snore on the bed beside Sam. Sam looked over at him, and shook his head. His brother was finally sleeping after having been on edge all day. As he prepared to sleep, Sam hoped that tomorrow would be a better day.

An hour after Sam had fallen asleep, he was awoken by the sound of his brother's voice.

_In his dream, Dean had finally reached Duluth. He wondered where Sam had gone off to. Too tired to care, he walked into his hotel room and plopped down on the bed. Closing his eyes, he grinned as he was finally able to get some rest. Hearing a strange rustling in the room, he looked up. He opened his eyes in alarm, but then closed them instantly. The light was too strong to take in all at once. Squinting, he saw it. He saw Jo. She was pinned to the ceiling, looking down at Dean helplessly. "Dean!" she cried. Her face twisted in agony. "Why, Dean? Why must this happen? Help me! Won't you help me?" Dean screamed for her. "Jo, don't...I'll get you out of there. I'll save you!" he yelled. When he discovered that he could do nothing but watch, mesmerized by the scene going on in front of him, he began to notice something not in his dream. He was being shaken._

"Dean! Dean, wake up!" Sam shouted as he shook his brother.

Starting to come to consciousness, Dean gasped for breath. He looked around frantically, not able to shake the feelings that his dream had produced. "Wh- where?" he asked Sam.

"Dean, you're awake now," Sam said with concern as he looked at his brother. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Dean was always the one who knew what was going on.

Dean's head fell against his pillow in relief. His breathing became regular again. He lay letting reality sink in. He hadn't really seen Jo pinned to a burning inferno on the ceiling. He was in the hotel room, and had only been sleeping. His attention turned back to Sam who looked at his brother with questioning eyes.

"Dude! Get off me!" he said as he sat up and pushed Sam away.

"You okay?" Sam asked as he watched his brother's every move suspiciously.

"Of course I'm fine. I just was sleeping, that's all."

"Dean, you had a nightmare, didn't you?" Sam asked. Even though his brother was a fully grown adult, he could hear the immature fear in his brother's voice, bringing him back to his childhood.

"Yeah, I did. It's nothing to worry about. Now, go back to sleep." The words he had so often said to his brother throughout the years came back to him. Sammy often had nightmares as a kid. Dean had become an expert at dealing with them. _Go back to sleep,_ he told himself as he turned away from his brother. Dean had a feeling that he would not be sleeping peacefully anytime soon.


End file.
